Green gram paddu

Breakfast is a very important part of our meal, and we usually prefer a savory dish for breakfast. "Paddu" (savory shallow fried balls made of rice and urad) is a very popular breakfast in some parts of Karnataka. It has a very crunchy golden brown exterior with a soft fluffy interior. We love it so much, that I had to find a grain free alternative to keep it on our menu.

What I love about this dish is, it doesn't need fermentation unlike the original recipe. So you can use the batter immediately after preparation. If there are leftovers, you can store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Ingredients
2 cups whole green gram
2 inches ginger
1 large green chilly
1 onion
6-7 curry leaves
1 pinch asafoetida
1 tbspn almond flour (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions
1. Wash and soak the green gram for 3 hours
2. Blend the gram along with ginger, asafoetida and green chilly to form a smooth batter. Add water as necessary, ensuring the batter is not too watery. It should be a little thicker than the dosa better. I add almond flour to the batter to get good texture.

3. Add finely chopped onion, salt and curry leaves and mix well. You can add finely chopped dil, if you like.

4. Scoop the batter in a spoon and place carefully into each hole, pre greased with oil. Flip the balls after 4-5 minutes to get a golden crispy texture on both sides.

5. Cool for few seconds and serve with a spicy chutney